Faka Lofa Atu Family!

I absolutely loved reading your e mails this week. It is really hard sometimes being away from our family and my friends and reading your e mails is one of my highlights of the whole week. Thank you so much. I'm happy to have read all about your week and how your all doing. Thank you so much for all the nice things you said and it helps me so much. I pretty much cried through all 3 of your e mails. I really do miss you all so much but the only thing that takes away the pain is to know this is where I'm supposed to be. And I love my mission so much. I also miss my friends like crazy but I'm grateful you guys always give me updates and how they are doing in their lives.

Well as of right now I'm doing pretty good. I'm still loving Niue, the language, the culture, and I absolutely love the people but I'm kinda missing New Zealand. Mainly because there is NO other missionaries here expect me and my companion. Its hard sometimes being away from President and the other leader missionaries. But sooner or later I'll be on a plane back to NZ. Well its an adventure being the senior companion but I love it. Its really hard and I struggle a little but I always make it through. The mission really is the best two years of your life but also the hardest. I do go through trails, hard times, and sad moments...but the Lord always helps me through them.

Our week was great on the island. It has been a little cooler and rainy. But its still really humid and hot. During the week we did a lot of teaching and service. Tuesday we had an incredible spiritual experience. We were teaching Henry about the Plan of Salvation. It was a very spiritual lesson and Pres. Posemani (Henry's uncle) bore a strong powerful testimony. Then Henry said he felt something amazing and we told him it was the spirit...he said he knew what we were saying was true. I got prompted by the spirit to ask him if he would be baptized. I did and he said yes he wanted to be baptized!!! Wow it was amazing....it was the best moment. I love the feeling...its what makes missionary work worth it! So he is set for this month! We had a lot of other amazing lessons this week with investigators and less active members. We brought one of the less active members back to church. Dad your right its an incredible experience. Our investigators are moving along slowly. We see miracles daily though and I know this is the Lords work.

Wednesday the village we live in did a Sports Day. We went for a little while because we had some investigators that came. It was awesome. There was this triathlon (well it was really a biathlon) We rode bikes and ran. Guess what?! I WON!! hahahaha, it was fun. We did a coconut throwing contest and I got third. and we also did a 100 meter race and I got second. My companion Elder Havea got first...man hes really fast. It was also our branch mission leaders birthday Wednesday so we had dinner and a party at his house. Thursday we helped some investigators work on their vanilla plantation. Yup cool huh I know how vanilla grows and I did a lot of hard labor working on it. Friday was Elder Havea's Birthday! We made him a cake and sang happy birthday and everything. But during the day we did our normal teaching and service. We did heaps of service that day. We helped this investigator move, helped some members prepare for the village show day, did a ton of hard concrete work for a investigator, and helped set up big stands and tents for the village show day.

Saturday was a crazy day!! It was Alofi south Village Show day! We went to the whole thing because we live in the village and we had investigators there. Plus these show days are so big pretty much the WHOLE island goes to them. It was SO fun. There was a ton of people (a lot of tourist too) Heaps of stands where people were selling and showing off their talents. A ton of cool culture things, and a lot of island food! There was also SO much entertainment (island dances), and guess what we danced some. Me and my companion only did one dance. It was the Meceh. Its a traditional celebration dance for the village. There was over 100 dancers and we danced. It was a cool experience. And then guess what?! The Hekau family were kinda like in charge of the show day and they did a cool thing. They did a faces of Alofi south (like people represented all the different countries in Alofi) They had a bunch of different people from different countries living in Alofi. AND guess what I represented the UNITED STATES by my self...because I'm the only one from the US. So they were like now "Elder Kitchen representing the United States of America. And they played party in the USA by Miley Sirus and I ran of stage with the American flag and danced and waved at everyone. MAN there was so many people there and it was really embarrassing! HAHA a moment I'll never forget!

Well that was pretty much my week. Now there's a lot more to say about you guys and things I wanna talk about. First things first....I wanted to e mail you again last Monday but we didn't have time. But guess what?! Right after we e mailed you we walked into our house and there was the package from you guys sitting on my desk! So I already got it last week! Seriously your the best parents! Thank you so much for that amazing package. I absolutely loved it. I had such a overwhelming feeling of gratitude that I have such loving amazing parents that would do so much for me. Thanks mom for the mechanic book, scout hand book, and Cd for the members. Each and every one of them were so grateful and happy. They are not well off here and I could see their faces light up when they got those things they wanted. They all told me to tell you thank you and that your so sweet. Also I love the Joseph smith CD thanks so much. And it was so cool to get all that 4th of July things. The letter, flag, flower lee, and patriotic wand. I felt like it was the 4th of July celebration on Niue. Mom I actually wore that flower lei during the show day when I represented America! It was perfect because of the colors! I also loved the candy, gum, cookies, pringle chips, and pop tarts. They are all so of the things I love and I cant get here or in New Zealand. I loved them so much thanks!

Well Dad thank you for telling me about James farewell. I loved reading all about it. I'm glad you guys got to go. I really wish I could have been there. Thank you for telling him I'm proud of him and stuff. I'm sure his talk was great, he has always been such a good spiritual kid and I'm sure he will make a incredible missionary. But wait did you know I have already written James a letter and sent it a long time ago. Did he say anything about getting it...can you ask him?
It was also fun to read you and Ryan went golfing a lot and had a good guys night out. I miss all those times....like hunting, fishing, sports, man just all the memories with my Dad. You asked me if I like Taro...yeah at first it was really weird but they eat it so much here so I've learned to like it. Its so thick and really heavy. And I will try to send some more pictures soon.

Its weird I've eaten so many things. I've tried some other weird things I forgot to tell you about too. Mom and Dad I'm not picky at all anymore. I will pretty much eat anything now. I like almost everything I didn't really like before my mission. Even the stuff I hated I've learned to like...cuz here and New Zealand its so rude not to eat everything....so I just forced my self and then started to like it. The Mexican fiesta was awesome...Elder Havea had never tried Mexican food before...he liked it but wasn't used to it. But yeah I got ground beef, cheese, lettuce, sauce, and a lot of stuff to add to it. I took some pictures off the food so you'll see. And that's cool Susan and Jason are coming. Tell them hello and I love them. Maybe they can send me a e mail or something.

Mom I loved reading about girls camp. I'm glad you had such a great and spiritual time. I love those things and that's why a mission is so great because your having a unbelievable spiritual experience 24/7 for two whole years!! Its cool to read so many people ask about how I'm doing. I'm glad you guys tell them I'm doing good. Aw and that made me really happy to hear what Dad did for your 21st wedding anniversary! That's really nice of him. HAPPY 21st WEDDING ANNIVERSARY MOM AND DAD!!! congrates!! :D that's exciting...now to celebrate after my mission we'll all have to take a holiday to NIUE! I loved your e mail mom....thank you. That was so good to read about what cam said about me. It made me cry because I miss him a lot. We were such good friends and pretty much spent the whole high school experience together. He is my very best friend and I loved reading what he said. I'm so glad hes getting ready to go on a mission. I miss him a ton....he means a lot to me. mom guess what I already wrote him a letter and sent it last week. So its probably on its way to the US. I hope he gets it soon. I miss all my friends so much also. I wish I could stay in more contact with them....

Well Ryan wrote me an email which made my day. I loved it so much. It truly makes me so happy to hear I'm a good example to him and that he is doing so good. I'm so glad to hear he's a good kid and is making good decisions in his life. He is always in my prayers.

Well thanks again for everything. We really do have the best parents and family anyone could ever ask for. Being away from you for so long makes me realize how much you mean to me and how much I love each and every one of you. I'm so happy your doing well, safe, and happy. Please keep having a good summer. Have fun and don't be sad about how I'm gone. I'm doing amazing and we'll see each other soon. Can you believe I've already been out 8 months....wow time flies.... Well please keep doing whats right and try to be missionaries yourself. Be a good example to non members and maybe try and make a goal to find someone the missionaries can teach. I promise your be so happy if you do. Well I pray for you guys all the time. I think about you a lot and miss you more than you can imagine. Have a wonderful week. Tell everyone I love them and hello. May God bless our family.

Love your son and brother Elder Kitchen